Collapsible boats



April 1959 G. c. HENRY 2,880,429

COLLAPSIBLE BOATS Filed July 18, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1N VEN TOR.

GLENN QHENRY ATTORNEY April 1959 G. c. HENRY' I 2,880,429

COLLAPSIBLE BOATS Filed July 18, 1955 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 7

INVENTOR.

GLENN CHENRY April 7, 1959 Filed July 18, 1955 G. c. HENRY 2,880,429

COLLAPSIBLE BOATS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fl G. 9

INVENTOR.

GLENN CHENRY BY ATTORNEY United States Patent This invention relates to collapsible structures of which boats are an excellent example.

The demand that boats be adapted to be carried from one location to another has not been fully met either .by boats of conventional design but of light weight construction or by trailers facilitating the handling of these or heavier craft. The general objective of this invention is to enable that demand to be met by providing collapsible boats that will be amply sturdy and satisfactory in use and present minimum bulk when collapsed.

In accordance with the invention, a boat has a pair of bottom members hinged to swing upwardly towards each a other with respect to the center line of the boat, a. pair of side members each hinged to an edge of a respective one of the bottom members to swing, preferably, both inwardly and outwardly with respect to the plane thereof, a pair of bow members, and a pair of stem members.

Each pair of end members are hinged together along the center line of the boat to swing into and out of a collapsed position and each end member has two parts that are hinged together with one part beinghingedto the proximate bottom member and the other part being hinged to the proximate side member in a manner enabling each end member to swing inwardly from a position in which its parts are co-planar.

In practice, the hinge axes between the parts of each member, between each part and the other members to which respective ones of the parts are hinged, and between such other members all intersect approximately at a common point. Additionally, these axes are so arranged that the axis between each side and bottom member and the parts of the end members attached thereto are approximately in alignment when the bottom members are folded towards each other to a predetermined extent thus to enable each side member and the end member parts connected thereto to be folded in an opposite direction as a unit.

In the accompanying drawings, there is shown an illustrative embodiment of the invention from which these and other of its objectives, novel features, and advantages will be readily apparent.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a boat in accordance with the invention erected for use.

Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are, respectively, side, bow, and stem views thereof.

' Figs. 5 and 6 are sections taken, along the indicated lines 55 and 66, respectively, of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is an elevational view showing the boat partly collapsed. I

Fig. 8 is a like view of the boat fully collapsed, and

Fig. 9 is a view illustrating the cutting of the various members from a rectangular sheet of material.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the boat comprises a pair of bottom members 10 hinged together along the indicated center line 11 to swing together from their position of use, best illustrated 2,880,429 Patented Apr. 7, 1959 "ice by Figs. 3, 4, and 5. Hinged as at 12 to the free edge of each bottom member 10 is an appropriate one of the side members 13. The side members 13 are adapted to swing between extreme positions relative to respective ones ofthe bottom members 10 as may be seen from a comparison of Figs. 5 and 8.

There are also provided a pair of bow members and a pair of stem members indicated generally at 14 and 15, respectively. The bow members 14 are hinged together as at 16 while the members are similarly joined as at 17 and it will be noted that the hinge axes between these members is along the boats center line.

Each of the bow members 14 is shown as comprising a pair of parts 18 and 19 hinged together as at 20 with the part 18 hinged as at 21 to the proximate bottom member 10 and the part 19 hinged to the proximate side member 13 at 22. Each stern member 15 also comprises a pair of parts 23 and 24. These are hinged together as at 25 with the part 23 being hinged to the bottom member 10 as at 26 and the part 24 being hinged to the proximate side member 13 as at 27.

It will be noted'that each hinge axis 12, the axis between the parts of the end members and between those parts and the respective one of the side and bottom members joined by the hinge axis '12 all intersect approximately at a common point and that this characteristic is also true in the case of the hinge axis 11, the hinge axis between the pairs of end members,,and the axis between the part of each end member and the bottom member to which it is hinged.

While the bow and stem members may be identical, they are shown as sutficiently dissimilar to make the bow and stem markedly different. Thus, when the boat shown in the drawings is erected for use, the parts 19 of its end members are inclined downwardly towards the stern while the parts 18 are'angularlydisposed. At the stern, the parts 23 of the stern members 15 are approximately co-planar but are vertically disposed and are flanked by the rearwardly extending'parts 24. The angle of the bottom member 10 may alsobe readily varied.

While the members may be formed from any suitable stock and sealed together to provide water-tight hinge axes therebetween, waterproof plywood has been used to advantage. One of the advantages of the invention is that, as suggested by Fig. 9, the members may be cut from a rectangular sheet 28 with an acceptably small percentage of waste. Such members may then have an inner sheet 29, an outer sheet 30, or-both, cemented thereto to provide the water-tight hinges.

The boat may be readied for use by means of seats. For convenience of illustration, aseat 31 is shown having upwardly disposed arms 32 formed with hook ends 33 to receive the upper edges of the sides 13. A stern seat 34 has similarly disposed arms 35 formed with like hook ends 36 and also an upwardly disposed arm 37 having a hook end 38 disposed to receive and splint the parts 23 of the end member 15.

Assuming the boat to be erected for use as illustrated by Fig. 1, it is readied for collapsing as by removing the seats 31 and 34. The boat is then collapsed, as illustrated by Fig. 7, to fold its bottom members 10 together. The hinge axes 12, 20, and 27 are then approximately in alinement so that, as illustrated by Fig. 8, each side 13, and the part 19 of a bow member 14 and the part 24 of a stern member 15 hinged to its ends may be folded, as a unit, downwardly against the proximate bottom member 10. As will be noted from Fig. 7 the hinge axes 22 and 21 define an angle of less than From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the invention provides collapsible boats well adapted to meet the wide range of use requirements as well as those attendant their manufacture.

assua e What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a collapsible boat, a pair of bottom members hinged together along the center line of the boat, a pair of side members each hinged to an edge of respective one of said bottom members, a pair of bow end members, and a pair of stem end members, each pair of end members being hinged together along the center line of the boat, the end members of each pair of bow and stem members each including two hinged parts of which one is hinged to the corresponding end of a bottom member and the other is hinged to the corresponding end of the proximate side member, the hinge axis between each end member part and the appropriate one of said corresponding ends defining an angle of less than 180 when said parts are co-planar.

2. In a collapsible boat, a pair of bottom members hinged to swing upwardly towards each other with respect to the center line of the boat, a pair of side members each hinged to an edge of respective one of said bottom members to swing both inwardly and outwardly with respect to the plane thereof, a pair of bow end members, and a pair of stem end members, each pair of bow and stem end members being hinged together along the center line of the boat to swing into and out of a collapsed position, the end members .of each pair of bow and stern members each including two hinged parts of which one is hinged to the corresponding end of a bottom member and the other is hinged to the corresponding end of the proximate side member to swing inwardly from an approximately co-planar position, the hinge axis between each end member part and the appropriate one of said corresponding ends defining an angle of less than 180 when said parts are co-planar.

3. In a collapsible boat, a pair of bottom members hinged to swing upwardly towards each other with respect to the center line of the boat, a pair of side members each hinged to an edge of respective one of said bottom members to swing both inwardly and outwardly with respect to the plane thereof, a pair of bow end members, and a pair of stern end members, each pair of how and stem end members being hinged together along the center line of the boat to swing into and out of a collapsed position, the end members of each pair of bow and stem members each including two hinged parts of which one is hinged to the corresponding end of a bottom member and the other is hinged to the corresponding end of the proximate side member to swing inwardly from an approximately co-planar position, the hinge axis between the two parts of each end member and the hinge axis between the side and bottom members to which said parts are hinged being approximately in alinement when the bottom members are swung towards each other to a predetermined extent.

4. In a collapsible boat, a pair of bottom members hinged to swing upwardly towards each other with respect to the center line of the boat, a pair of side members each hinged to an edge of respective one of said bottom members to swing both inwardly and outwardly with respect to the plane thereof, a pair of bow end members, and a pair of stern end members, each pair of end bow and stern members being hinged together along the center line of the boat to swing into and out of a collapsed position, the end members of each pair of bow and stern members each including two hinged parts of which one is hinged to the corresponding end of a bottom member and the other is hinged to the corresponding end of the proximate side member to swing inwardly from 4 I an approximately co-planar position, the hinge axis be tween the two parts of each end member and the hinge axis between the side and bottom members to which said parts are hinged being approximately in alinement when the bottom members are swung towards each other to a predetermined extent, and the hinge axis between the two parts of each end member and said other axis intersect approximately at a common point.

5. In a collapsible boat, a pair of bottom members hinged together along the center line of the boat, a pair of side members each hinged to an edge of respective one of said bottom members, a pair of bow end members and a pair of stern end members, each'pair of bow and stern end members being hinged together along the center line of the boat, the end members of each pair of bow and stern members each including two hinged parts of which one is hinged to the corresponding end of a bottom member and the other is hinged to the corresponding end of the proximate side member, the hinge axis between each end member part and the appropriate one of said corresponding ends defining an angle of less than when said parts are co-planar.

6. In a collapsible boat, a pair of bottom member s hinged together along the center line of the boat, a pair of side members each hinged to an edge of respective one of said bottom members, a pair'of bow end members and a pair of stern end members, each pair of bow and stern end members being hinged together along the center line of the boat, the end members of each pair of how and stern members each including two hinged parts of which one is hinged to the corresponding end of a bottom member and the other is hinged to the corresponding end of the proximate side member with its hinge axis, the hinge axes between its parts and the proximate bottom and side members, and the hinge axis between said proximate bottom and side members intersecting approximately at a common point, the hinge axis between each end member part and the appropriate one of said corresponding ends defining an angle of less than 180 when said parts are co-planar.

7. In a collapsible boat, a pair of bottom members hinged together along the center line of the boat, a pair of side members each hinged to an edge of respective one of said bottom members, a pair of bow end members and a pair of stern end members, each pair of bow and stern end members being hinged together along the center line of the boat, the end members of each pair of bow and stern members each including two hinged parts of which one is hinged to the corresponding end of a bottom memher and the other is hinged to the corresponding end of the proximate side member with its hinge axis, the hinge axes between its parts and the proximate bottom and side members, and the hinge axis between said proximate bottom and side members intersecting approximately at a common point, the hinge axes of corresponding end members and the hinge axis between the side and bottom members to which their parts are attached being approximately in alinement when the bottom members are folded together.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,333,248 Di Carlo Mar. 9, 1920 2,636,192 May Apr. 28, 1953 FORETGN PATENTS 375,522 Germany May 14, 1923 489 Great Britain of 1908 

